Author Topic: When hiking my toes feel like they are 'burning!'  (Read 1680 times)

gunwharfman

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In the last year, I've noticed that as I hike, after a few hours, my toes (not my big or little toes) in both feet start to feel like they are 'burning.' It can be very painful! I noticed it for the first time last year when I tried wearing two pairs of socks at a time and was hiking up Great Gable. I thought it was friction caused by two sock materials rubbing together because it didn't bother me anymore after I went back to one pair of socks only.

But it happened again in La Palma and again when I was in Maderia recently. I've learned that to stop it, for a while at least, I have to take off my boots and socks, wipe over my feet with my wet foot flannel, (I always carry one) then rub my feet vigorously and wiggle my toes a lot. I then put my socks and boots back on and the problem goes away, sometimes for a few miles, or it doesn't reappear until the next day.

It seems to be a going uphill problem mainly, it doesn't develop on the flat and I only experience it downhill if it's already started earlier. Does anybody else experience a similar 'burning' sensation? Although I have never experienced arthritis before I've begun to wonder if that's what it actually is?

ninthace

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Re: When hiking my toes feel like they are 'burning!'
« Reply #1 on: 21:27:15, 15/03/20 »
Not just toes but whole foot with Double Strike insoles.  Thread here http://www.walkingforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=34785.0
Solvitur Ambulando

BuzyG

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Re: When hiking my toes feel like they are 'burning!'
« Reply #2 on: 00:15:31, 16/03/20 »
I get this a little on my right foot.  Never my left.  As my right foot is the slightly larger of the two I put it down to a very slight tight fit. It takes 15miles before it starts to urk me though, so not much of an issue personally.

kinkyboots

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Re: When hiking my toes feel like they are 'burning!'
« Reply #3 on: 08:58:03, 16/03/20 »
We've discussed your very unusual and unorthodox (I would call it wrong) use of two different types of insole on top of each other in the same boot before.

I will stand by the advice which I offered to you in this earlier thread http://www.walkingforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=38810.0

You will more than likely find the cause of your current problem is due to the amount of give/sponginess in the Sorbothane Double Strike insoles which is causing friction between your toes and the insole. As you have found this will be particularly noticeable when going uphill as your toes involuntarily dig in to the insole to get some purchase and instead of gripping they move as the sponge of the insole gives. As you've found it's quite likely that you will not even be aware that your toes are doing this until it's too late and the damage has been done. If you didn't stop and deal with the hotspot problem when you first felt it it would no doubt eventually lead to blisters forming.

Despite what you said in that earlier thread the bottom line is that to accomodate two insoles in one boot it's obvious that your boots are too big and very badly fitting and have far too much volume for your feet and this is allows your feet to move around unnecessarily inside the boot.

Use one insole per boot and use volume reducers/adjusters to remove any excess volume from your boot not another insole.

jimbob

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Re: When hiking my toes feel like they are 'burning!'
« Reply #4 on: 09:25:08, 16/03/20 »
Why not get a doctors appointment and ask for a test for neuropathy as that could also explain you problem.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/peripheral-neuropathy/symptoms/
Too little, too late, too bad......

 

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